When Opposites Meet (A ShereneSherlolly Fanfiction)
by throughtheparadox
Summary: Molly Hooper drops by Baker Street to give Sherlock a fresh batch of eyeballs for an experiment. She was taken by surprise when someone else- a woman- welcomed her in.


(A/N: hello! This is the third installment to my fanfic set. If you wanna see part 1 and 2, you can see them here: fanfiction)

One bright afternoon, along Baker Street walked Molly Hooper, a package in her arms. She stopped in front of apartment 221B, her fingers gripping the knocker slightly. A smile broke across her face as she saw Mrs. Hudson open the door, inviting her in.

"Hello dear. I rarely see you anymore." said the landlady.

"Been busy at the hospital lately. I just came to bring Sherlock some more eyeballs. He's working on a new experiment, I think." Molly replied.

Mrs. Hudson looked at the package and shivered slightly, her eyebrows scrunching up. "Well, remind Sherlock not to put those in my fridge. I almost fainted the last time. Arm in the crisper. Tsk tsk."

Molly smiled and nodded. She bid Mrs. Hudson goodbye, going up the stairs to the detective's flat.

Letting out a deep breath and pinching her cheeks for a bit of color, she knocked at the door.

"Sherlock? Sherlock! I have the eyeballs you wanted me to bring." she called. After a couple of seconds, she knocked again.

Of course she was used to this. Sherlock wouldn't even notice if someone set the flat on fire if he's in a deep thought. She sighed, muttering to herself that she would just leave the package outside his door for him to find. As she was about to leave, someone opened the door.

"Oh… I…" she was about to greet him when she saw someone else standing in his place. Gray eyes stared at her intently, natural curls framed the other woman's regal face. Clothed in a dressing gown that was obviously not hers for it was too long in length, Molly assumed that what the woman is wearing must be Sherlock's.

"Hello. Sorry, I just got out of the shower… Would you like to come in?" the woman asked, opening the door a bit wider, inviting her in. A bit shocked, she just nodded, picking up the package as she went in.

As they entered the flat, Molly stared at the woman from behind, slightly envious of her elegance. Molly bit her lip, feeling self-conscious as she stared down her knit sweater, faded jeans and plain, canvas shoes.

"Oh dear, how very rude of me. I'm Irene Adler. Sherlock left early today, working on a new case, I believe." The woman, Ms. Adler, stretched out her hand and Molly shook it. Irene sat on Sherlock's chair and smiled at Molly.

"Sit down." Irene offered, gesturing towards John's old chair.

"I don't… I mean… That's John chair. Sherlock doesn't let people sit there." Molly replied, shaking her head. Irene laughed.

"Well, he's not here, isn't he? Go on… Sit. Please keep me company." Irene requested.

Molly nodded, despite the fact that she was supposed to meet with Tom, her boyfriend. She can't deny her curiosity, wondering who this woman is and who is she to Sherlock. Molly felt a pang of jealously and pushed the thought aside, thinking of her new boyfriend.

"I'm Molly Hooper. I… I'm a friend of Sherlock." she squeaked.

Irene Adler's eyes lit up upon hearing the pathologist's name. "I think I've heard your name before. Do you know the records keeper at St. Bart's?"

Molly nodded, slightly confused. Then she remembered hearing Ms. Adler's name a couple of years back when Sherlock called her in during Christmas. She could never forget how the detective recognized a corpse from not her face but for the rest of her naked body. It was the Christmas she bawled her eyes out crying because of hopelessness.

She looked up at Irene Adler, the other woman's gray eyes studying her. Unable to resist, Molly said, "You were dead! I was there when Sherlock… confirmed your corpse. I… Hardly anyone could fool him."

The woman laughed, eyebrows slightly raised as she took in Molly's statement. "And tell me, how did Sherlock react when he thought I was dead?"

Molly can feel bile rising up her throat, her chest aching. "Well… He… Ummm… The face was all bashed up so he asked me if I can show him the rest of the body… Are you his girlfriend?" she asked, wanting to hit herself as soon as she asked. She lowered her eyes because of embarrassment.

"You and I know that Sherlock Holmes is not someone who's into that kind of relationship." Irene Adler replied, her tone almost hopeful, or so Molly believed.

"He seemed heartbroken that night." Molly muttered, her voice barely a whisper.

"Is this love I see, Ms. Hooper? You are in love with Sherlock Holmes, am I right?" Irene asked, sincere curiosity filled her voice.

"No…I…I'm with someone else. Sherlock's my friend and I… I just felt he turned very lonely that night." Molly replied, her eyes giving her true feelings away. Clearly anyone who can see her can figure as much.

To her surprise, Irene Adler smiled. It was a smile that Molly recognizes, a smile that stretches across her own face whenever she thinks of Sherlock Holmes.

"Don't lie to yourself, Ms. Hooper. I, for one, tried to deny my heart of such honesty. And yet, Sherlock Holmes, being as clever as always, found out my heart's desires and yet he chose to ignore it. And yet here I am, in his flat considering myself a guest just so I can get a reaction from him." Ms. Adler confessed.

"Why are you telling me this?" Molly asked, not quite sure where Irene was getting.

Irene looked at her intently, all traces of humor leaving the woman's face. "I don't usually open up to other people, for I am not a trusting person. But in this moment, I choose to trust you and I hope you keep this between us."

Molly nodded and Irene Adler continued. "I am a woman driven by lust and passion and power… And yet I got intrigued by Sherlock Holmes in a way that I was never intrigued with anyone. As I can see, we are completely different and yet our heart shares the same…sentiment." Irene smiled, as if thinking of an inside joke.

"You bring understanding and genuine care to Sherlock and I believe he can see that. Those qualities are some of the few things I am not particularly skilled at. Quite frankly, this is the first time I felt… jealous. But I do love a tough competition. What do you say, Ms. Hooper?"

As Irene offered her hand to Molly, the pathologist knows that if she took it, she would be betraying Tom… And yet, her heart commanded her arms to move and shake Ms. Adler's hand.

Before leaving, Irene thanked Molly for the wonderful conversation. As she stepped out of the flat and headed towards that door, Molly called Tom on her mobile phone and told her she can't meet him. For the first time in her life, Molly accepted that no matter how hard she tried, Sherlock will always be her eternal love. And with Ms. Adler's challenge ringing in her ears, she took a deep breath, pinched her cheeks and looked forward to the next time she will meet with Sherlock Holmes.


End file.
